HOW TO: Host a Super Bowl Party

Are you ready for some football?  Whether you’re watching this year’s Super Bowl because you love football or you love staring at Tom Brady, a good party requires three things: food, drinks and friends.

If you’re anything like me, everything is last minute. With only one day until the Superbowl, this guide will prepare anyone like myself looking to celebrate this Sunday. From what to wear to what to serve, I’ve prepared a step-by-step guide to throwing your college friends a last minute Super Bowl party.

 

Football fashion:

Keep it casual and comfy. No one needs to look fabulous while screaming at a TV and hanging out in your living room. Thanks to Polyvore, here are two classy outfit ideas for game day:

Team theme:

If  you plan to decorate for your party, keep to the theme of the two teams playing. This year the  match-up is between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots. Since their colors are similar (this should be fun while watching) decorating is easy. Anything red, white or blue will suffice and satisfy all fans at your gathering. Who knew Fourth of July decorations would come in handy five months early?

Finger food:

Don’t get caught whipping up something in the kitchen and miss out on what could be another scandalous half-time show. Small finger foods are perfect for an evening of football. Start out with a  homemade hummus dip served with crackers or pita chips. More filling meals are double cheese chili  or these simple sliders. Football jersey cut out cookies  are a trademark at my family Superbowl parties. They’re easy to do and go with the football theme.

Themed spirits:

Although standard beer may be the trademark drink for the Super Bowl, other options include The Big Blue in honor of the Giants or Patriots Punch for New England fans. Be sure to also have a selection of drinks for those under 21.

When it comes time for kick-off, be sure to provide plenty of places to sit for your guests. This is the one day where being in the way of the TV is highly unacceptable. Choosing to set up a couple TVs may also be a key play at your party.

The Super Bowl only happens one day a year. With that said- kick back, relax and enjoy the game.

 

Jessica Fecteau is a  senior fashion, etiquette and apartment/dorm life writer and is a sophomore at Central Michigan University. Jessica loves fashion magazines, listening to indie/folk music and traveling to big cities.

Jersey Shore Recap: 2/2/12

To kick off this episode, the roommates got back to the shore, Vinny included.  At the house, Pauly fills in Vinny, including the strange niceness coming from Mike.  Deena suggests to everyone that they go out to Karma that night to celebrate the eight of them being together again.  Before going out, Jenni things there is something going on with her and Rodger.  She gives him a quick phone call and he does not answer.

On the party deck, Mike says he wants to get a tattoo that says, “Loyalty & Betrayal.”  Ronnie jokes about how Mike knows everything about Betrayal and nothing about Loyalty.

As soon as the group arrives at Karma, Mike goes off and does his own thing while Pauly and Vinny play wingmen for each other.  Later at Karma, Snooki pees her pants.  She goes to the bathroom to, “freshen up,” which actually means spraying immense amounts of perfume on her, to mask the smell.  This is, apparently, called a “shore shower.”  When they get home, Deena says goodnight to all the boys.  She then says, “I love you,” to Pauly and Vinny and asks that they return the favor.  The guys laugh and don’t reciprocate.

In the morning, Snooki wakes up before everyone else, still in her red dress and black heels from the night before, and takes off the dirty underwear and throws it away.  When Deena wakes up, she realizes her fused extensions and her clip-in extensions have gotten tangled overnight.  She goes to the bathroom to try to solve her problem.  She ends up wetting the extensions and blow drying them to help untangle them.  Using the blow dryer, Deena accidentally electrocutes herself.  She was fine.  She told Sammi she just felt the current running through her arm.  The two girls discuss their theories on electricity.

During the day, everyone wants to go to Jenks, an outdoor restaurant and bar.  Before going, Jenni tries to call Rodger again, but he ignores the call.  While getting ready, Snooki decides to wear two pair of underwear, “just in case.”  When the groups gets to Jenks, Mike runs into two random friends, which makes the guys wonder if they are actually friends or just people Mike met at a club before.  At the bar, Snooki says she needs to go to the bathroom again and it really hurts, so she says she has a UTI again.  In order to stop the pain, her solution is to take shots of tequila.  After spending a few hours at Jenks, the group decides to go to batting cages, but Mike says he is having a good time and chooses to stay.

After the batting cages, the group meets up with Mike again and Snooki, Deena, and he ride in the cab together.  In the cab, Mike throws out there how nice he has been lately but he still feels like he is the odd man out.  The girls say that may be because he rarely hangs out with them, he prefers to do his own thing.

When they get back, the bathrooms in the house are all taken, so Snooki urinates on the back porch.  She covers it with shorts.  Up on the party deck, Snooki, Deena, and Mike are together, where Mike tells them he does not have a hidden agenda for his sudden niceness.  Snooki tells him that the roommates don’t really trust him.  This upsets Mike, leading him to want to confront the rest of the roommates.  Asking the guys to be honest with him, Mike asks if he has done anything to make them angry.  They say no.  Pauly speculates that Mike was just intoxicated.

That night, the group decides to hang out at their house.  They are hanging out on the party deck when Team Meatball decides to play a prank.  They go inside, while everyone slowly migrates back to the house.  Snooki dresses in the bunny costume and one at a time, she ransacks her roommates.  With Pauly, pins him down and makes suggestive gestures.

Back outside, they play a game called, “Warm Beer,” which is actually not a game, but a joke to be played on Snooki.  In the “game,” they tell Snooki that it is a memory game and involves drawing pictures on the face of the person to your left.  What is really happening is that Ronnie is putting soot on Snooki’s face.  She has no idea until she goes inside to go to the bathroom.  She wants revenge.

Mike goes to bed because he has a headache.  Snooki puts on the bunny mask, climbs on Mike (in his bed), and wake him up, scaring him.

At work in the morning, Deena makes a pair of underwear that say, “I Jersey Turnpike,” so that when she Jersey turnpikes, they show.

At the house, Jenni and Snooki are getting their hair done when Snooki’s dad shows up.  She forgot he was coming today, but sends him to the store for cranberry juice.

Mike is on the boardwalk and runs into Rodger.  When he gets home, Jenni is talking to Snooki’s dad about her problems with Rodger, and Mike informs her that he just ran into Rodger and that he was going to the beach with some buddies.

While Snooki and her dad are spending time together, Mike says he thinks Snooki is the real trouble maker of the house, not him.  He also admits he is going to call the Unit to finish the unfinished business.

What do you think is going to happen with the Snooki-Mike-Jionni-Unit frenzy?

Sante Fe in the Summer? Tory Burch Resort Collection

Tory Burch’s Resort Collection pays homage to the vibrant colors and designs of Sante Fe. Tory Burch says this collection was inspired by the colors and textures of Santa Fe.  This collection has a little something for everyone. There are different pieces with vibrant reds and soft yellows for my fellow ladies that love color. There’s also some summer favorites including paisley print maxi dresses and hot pants.

The canyon reds and different striped pieces scream 4th of July must haves !

This collection also has a some great earth tone and neutral pieces.

Shanae Hatchett is a sophomore English major with a minor in Public Relations at Hampton University. She is obsessed with fashion,shopping, magazines, celebrity drama, and reality tv all while wearing cute shoes with a caramel macchiato in hand.  

 

Look for less: Whitney Port

Since her days as a reality tv star on MTV’s ‘The Hills’ and ‘The City’, Whitney Port has been super busy.  She released her first book ‘True Whit: Designing a Life of Style, Beauty, and Fun’ and has been continuously working on her clothing line, Whitney Eve. Port was always known for her chic and flirty style and now you can dress like this classy fashionista with CL’s help.  We’ll give you two Whitney inspired outfits at amazing prices.

 

Whitney’s look                                                                                                     … for less

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whitney paired a soft pink boyfriend blazer with a pair of white skinny jeans and a shimmery top with matching pumps for a comfortable but stylish look. This outfit can be worn to the office or on a lunch date with the girls.

CL’s finds:
Pink boyfriend blazer:    Forever  21- $32.80
Silver sequin top: Dillards- $20.40
Silver pumps: Famous footwear- $39.99
White skinny jeans: Aeropostale- $24.75
Total: under $120

             Whitney’s look                                                                                      … for less

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This outfit was simple and a little daring. It’s hard to mix patterns but Whitney pulled it off stylishly with a plaid coat and a striped shirt. To add balance she wore a pair of black leggings and black studded pumps. She added a touch of color with her Chanel quilted chain link purse.

CL’s finds:
Striped tank: stylesforless.com- $5.00
Black leggings: sears- $7.95
Studded black pumps: ecrater.com- $17.95
Plaid coat: Khols- $31.20
Pink quilted chain link purse: yestyle.com- $64.80
Total: under $130

 

 

Minyvonne Burke is a fashion and lifestyle writer for College Lifestyles ™. She graduated from Point Park University and is currently pursuing her master’s degree at Hofstra University. She loves online shopping, cute bags and NYC.

 

 

CLassy Out-of-Season Fashion Finds

It may be cold now, but it’ll be summertime before you know it. If you’re like me– already thinking about the warm days on the beach–  there’s some  cute clothing trends you’ll want to try out for the warmer weather. Thinking ahead of the seasons is just another way to help you budget for fun in the sun!

1. Swimsuits

If you’re going to school/living in a warm place, you’ll always want to have a swimsuit at hand, and right now is the best time to buy them!

Victoria’s Secret

Venus Swimwear

Forever21

2. Tank Tops and Shorts

You can never have too many pairs of shorts. Whether you need in now, or in a few months, it’s always nice to have them on hand to wear under outerwear, or to dreamland!

GoJane

Aeropostale

Old Navy

Need a little black dress? How about a blue one? These stores may summer-oriented, but the sales and hot deals are all year around.

3. Dresses

Charlotte Russe

PacSun

Delia’s

4.Formals

With prom coming for the highschoolers, it’s almost time for dresses to go back in-season. But if all you need a cocktail dress for a wedding or a quick closet stretcher for a formal event, these stores have your back.

The Rose Dress

Formals Etc.

Pacific Plex

Shopping out of season is the best way to save money on new clothes and accessories. The stores listed here are always trying to get rid of old inventory to make room for new clothes, so take advantage of the great sales! I know it seems way too early to be thinking about what you’re going to wear to you’re cousin’s summer wedding, but if your strapped for cash, now’s a great time to start thinking ahead!

 

Martha-Raye Adjei is an environmental studies major with a concentration in Sustainable Apparel at the University of Delaware. She hopes to become a journalist and sustainable apparel designer. In her spare time she likes to read, swim and watch TV

CL’s favorite jewelry trends of 2012

Nothing adds more personality, flare and pizzazz to an outfit like jewelry. Whether it’s an elegant piece like diamonds or pearls or a bold cocktail ring, adding a little sparkle can go a long way. JCK Magazine recently released their ”Top 12 Jewelry trends for 2012”. CL picked our top 4 favorites. Check them out here.

Small chandelier earrings- Dainty versions of these enchanting earrings will be seen everywhere. These earrings are extremely versatile. They can be worn to a formal occasion or with a casual outfit to add some flare.

Pearls- freshwater and mother-of-the-pearls are classy, elegant and will always be in style. Wear them with a simple outfit to add a touch of sophistication or with your LBD.

Tangerine Tango- Pantone’s color of 2012. This fun, flashy and bold color instantly adds spice to any outfit. ”It’s sophisticated but at the same time dramatic and seductive,” Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute told the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.

Pendant necklace- These necklaces have already been spotted on celebrity fashionistas Lauren Conrad and Rihanna. Go for a longer chained necklace and add a few shorter, skinnier pieces to add some personality or you can go chic with your favorite pendant on a ribbon. There are a lot of ways these cute pieces can be worn.

 

JCK Magazine is the leading publication for the jewelry industry providing the latest information on jewelry news and trends. Make sure you check out the complete list of “12 Jewelry trends for 2012” and let us know what are your favorites.

 

 

Minyvonne Burke is a fashion and lifestyle writer for College Lifestyles ™. She graduated from Point Park University and is currently pursuing her master’s degree at Hofstra University. She loves online shopping, cute bags and NYC.

CL reviews TypeF.com

Supermodel, businesswoman, and author Tyra Banks has been a household name for years. We have watched her produce models from her hit show America’s Next Top Model, give us advice on her talk show, and hit the runway for Victoria’s Secret. Now we can have her as our own fashion and beauty expert.

In March, Tyra launched TypeF.com, a completely customizable and personal beauty and fashion website. According to the website, this was “inspired by Tyra’s mission to expand the definition of beauty.” The website features articles, videos, images, and product recommendations tailored to each woman’s individual body type, skin, and hair type. College Lifestyles decided to check it out for ourselves.  Here’s the 411.

 

How to get started

TypeF.com, just like any other website, has articles and videos about everything from what looks best for your body type to the hottest shoe trend. But when you are looking for something specific, sifting through all that information can be time consuming and a bit overwhelming. Tyra makes it easier by creating a section ‘Just for You’. She gives you a bunch of questions to answer and provides pictures of celebrities to help you decide what answers are best for you. She asks about your body type and shape, hair texture and length, skin color and issues and anything else to help narrow down your search. The questionnaire takes about 3 minutes to complete. It was easy to go through the questions and kind of fun.

 

Pros

After answering all the questions, I did find a lot of useful articles and tips. The product recommendations were really cool and offered things that I would actually try. Tyra also has a Beauty School section. Visitors can watch video tutorials and learn how to “Master Liquid Liner” and “Get a Bronzed Glow”. At the end of tutorial, you can upload a picture to show others how well you did or what the finished product looked like. There is also a Style by City section where everyday people can upload and browse pictures of style trends from all over the world.

 

Cons

In order to register for the site and customize it you have to log in and connect it to your facebook account. Many other websites do this to make it easier to log in. This could be the deal breaker for some but your facebook friends won’t be able to see what content you view on TypeF and there is an option for you opt of sharing anything personal.  Once you register, read away. After I customized the section, I had 1078 articles and 307 videos all personalized for me. You don’t have to register with the site to find what you are looking for. Tyra offers plenty of videos, and articles for people just passing through.

 

Conclusion

All in all Type F is a win with CL. It’s a fun and interesting site. It really does offer a lot of useful information.  And Tyra’s inspiration behind the creation of the site, letting women celebrate all kinds of beauty, is something CL admires. Way to go Tyra! Make sure you give it a try and check it out here.  

 

 

Minyvonne Burke is a fashion and lifestyle writer for College Lifestyles ™. She graduated from Point Park University and is currently pursuing her master’s degree at Hofstra University. She loves online shopping, cute bags and NYC.

 

 

 

Easy to Make DIY Glitter Heels

From Louboutins to Toms, sparkles have been making a big statement in footwear this season. Why spend money on a new pair of glitzy heels when you can transform a beat up pair in your closet? Here’s an easy DIY project to make your very own pair of sassy glitter heels.

Materials:

Newspaper

Glitter (use one color for a solid look or mix glitters for a multi-color effect)

Mod Podge 

Paper plate

Paintbrush

Heels (they don’t have to be new, use this DIY to give a scuffed or stained pair a makeover.  You can also use flats, boots or other types of shoes)

Directions:

1. Protect your workspace with a few sheets of newspaper.

4. Allow the paste to dry completely then fill in any holes or uneven patches with the glitter-paste.

5. Allow 24 hours to dry, then pair your sparkly shoes with a fun outfit and take them out for a night on the town!

I’d say the project was a success! When I started, I was going to cover the entire shoe, but after covering the platform I thought they looked super chic and classy, so I decided to leave the rest of the shoe black and glitterize the heels instead. I used faux suede shoes with plastic heels. Both materials worked well with the glitter paste.

Love glitter? Check out Tiana and Debra’s DIY glitzy party ideas!

Alexandra Esposito is an intern at College Lifestyles ™ and a senior studying journalism and film at the University of Kansas. She is a Copy Chief for the University Daily Kansan and the Secretary of Omega Phi Alpha at KU. In summer 2011, she interned with the editorial staff at Martha Stewart Weddings in New York City. 

New Year, New You : Be Bold With Color

Lilly Pulitzer: Voting Begins On Three New Sorority Prints!

Lilly Pulitzer knows you want to join her sisterhood. If your sorority didn’t get the chance to be part of Pulitzer’s Sorority Collection, fear not!  Voting has opened up today for the January 2012 class of custom prints. The first round will end Sunday, January 15, while remaining sororities will continue to a second round starting Monday, January 16.  The campaign is solely on Facebook, so you and your sisters are only a click away from lettered ID-wrislets and Murfettes scarves. Click here, to vote! The three winning sororities will be announced on Tuesday, January 24 on Facebook.

 

Ariana Romero is a senior entertainment and fashion writing intern for College Lifestyles! She can’t wait to find out who the winning prints are.  

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